Update on RTB Developments

RTB Program Management UnitAnnual Review and Meeting

Lima8th December 2015

Six reasons why RTB is best CRP!

1. Only CRP to receive “excellent” in Annual Reporting to CO in 2014 and 2015!

2. Commendation by CO for reporting on gender and used our format as model for other CRPs

3. CRP with highest number of A grades in ISPC review of pre-proposals

4. Outstanding external review (best of all six read so far by Yvonne Pinto of ISC)

5. Based on performance review DFID granted RTB 3.5 million pounds of W2 funding

6. Just agreed BMGF funding for RTB led project on cassava seed systems for $11.6m

Overview

1. Governance & Management2. Scientific collaboration3. Gender research4. Communications5. Preproposal and ISPC review6. External evaluation7. BMGF cassava seed systems8. Wrap up

1. Governance & Management

Center & Gender Focal Points

ISC - TOR

• Began Jan 2015 – evolved from PAC• Nine members appointed three years• Majority independent members• Competencies: gender, partnership, evaluation, and

ToC, CapDev and cutting-edge science• ISC chair elected from independent members• Oversight:

– Implementation of RTB– Strategic alignment with the SRF– Guides management for results– Approves plans, reports, and budgets

RTB 1.0 to RTB 2.0

RTB 1.0

RTB 2.05 Flagships and 25 clusters

Outcome Orientation (RBM)

Multidisciplinary teams from different Themes

Online software platform

Google drive

Research / output

orientation

7 RTB Themes

• Gender research coordinator, full time - Bhawana• Communications officer – Holly• M&E Officer - Claudio• Science officer – Michael:

– Product delivery plans – Formulation and review of progress discovery/breeding related

products, milestones and activities. – Strategic advice to Program Director on range of science issues

PMU staffing update

2. Scientific collaboration

• The CO wrote: The RTB Annual Review (AR) is excellent. The diversity, relevance and clarity of the results (i.e. outputs) delivered are impressive and confirm the quality of the RTB upstream research from harnessing genetic diversity to post-harvest management practices and value-chain focused solutions. Progress in applying state of the art biological tools was remarkable including the building up of the metabolomics platform, and the use of genome-wide association mapping combined with the next generation sequencing. These outputs are feeding the delivery and adoption process for scaling-up and out in targeted countries through key projects: tripling potato yield in Ethiopia, reducing bacteria wilt impact in banana (BXW) in Eastern and Central Africa, and doubling vitamin A intake through orange-flesh sweet potato adoption in Kenya

2. Scientific collaboration

• NEXTGEN sequencing and phenotyping data • Genomic analyses (GWAS, GS) for complex traits (eg. potato

tuberization and early bulking, fertility and fruit quality in banana) and for targeted breeding strategies (eg. heterotic grouping)

• Large-scale Phenotyping identifies heat tolerant sweet potato lines

• Preferences for quality traits – Workshop Kampala• Value chain studies, Gender studies of trait preferences,

Qualitative Surveys• Sensory Profile (QDA), consumer acceptance • Physicochemical analysis• Track back to pin down underlying trait• Guide breeding

• RTB data management and bio-informatics• Developing a common vision for the integrated data management

• Biological and socio-economic surveys along altitudinal gradients

– patterns of pest/disease abundance and their impacts

• Modelling of interventions to prevent degeneration of planting material

• clean seed, farmer seed selection, and pest and pathogen incidence based on geography and climate change

• Improvement of energy efficiency in cassava processing & adding value to RTB waste products

• adaptation of cassava and plantain peels for animal feed

2. Scientific collaboration

3. RTB Gender Portfolio Achievements

• RTB gender reporting model for CGIAR!

• Filling critical gaps and building capacity with RTB-University Partnership Gender Integration initiative with 9 universities and 6 students in 2015

• More targeted and linked up approach for integrated gender research:

– RTB & NEXTGEN Cassava project pilot study on gender differentiatiated preferences for cassava traits in Nigeria

– RTB with IITA and Bioversity submitted proposals on CO calls for Post-Doctoral fellow on gender & breeding in cassava and banana

• Enabling environment with strategic gender research:

– Gennovate

Photo Credit :http://cipotato.org/ Women participants receiving vines after the training, Bangladesh

4. Communications● RTB communication channels in 2015

• Blogs and News – RTB research, publications, successes– Partners contribute and share

• Flyers – RTB second phase

84% increase in Facebook

followers from 2014

43% increase in Twitter followers

from 2014

1000+ Newsletter subscribers

25,000+ visitors to RTB website so far this year. Up from

14,000 in 2014

FP1: Discovery

FP2: Varieties/

seed

FP3: resilient

crops

FP4: nutritious/

added value

FP5: Livelihood

systems

FP6: Impact @ scale

Clair Inge James Graham Piet (Philippe)

Dietmar

GlobalChallenges

Oscar

Partnership& CapDev

Simone

Gender Netsayi & Bhawana

ToC/IDO Claudio

5. Pre-proposal and ISPC review

Intense internal review: CIP BoT, ISC and MC!

Builds on business cases for clusters and flagships

5. Pre-proposal ISPC: feedback

5. Pre-proposal ISPC: feedback

Satisfactory with adjustment, recommends inviting full proposal

• Clear comparative advantage

• Well conceptualised, strong and stable management

• Pre-proposal generally very high standard • Role of other CRPs and partners explained succinctly

with great clarity• Theory of change and impact pathway for RTB clear,

focused, logical and plausible• Greatest concern FP5 and FP6

6. IEA review of RTB: headlines

5 person team led by Jill Lenne – extensive visits• Notable progress in past 4 years• Strongly warrants continuing• Well directed, achieving reasonable # of milestones• Adding value across crops and centers mainly through

complementary funded projects• Science sound• NARs appreciative• Good progress gender strategy• Good program governance and management

IEA review of RTB: for improvement

• using outcomes of priority assessment for more strategic allocation of budget across crops

• collaboration among breeders (cassava and banana)• strengthening CRP expertise in seed systems• improved integration of crop improvement and

management technologies• enhanced focus of post-harvest research on the

crop-specific aspects of value chain improvements

BMGF: Seed Value Chain & project components

Breeder Seed

Foundation seed

Commercial seed growers

Farmers / Seed Users

Seed Quality & Protocols

Seed & Information

Consumer Demand & Money

M&E

Seed value chain workshop

RTB facilitatedIITANRCRINASC

Context NetworkFeraSAH

$11.6m

Tough year but we made it!

1. External evaluation – teams came together

2. Internal audit review – good shape

3. Delays in contracts from Fund Office down

4. Lack of clarity over carry-over from 2014

5. Shifts in donors – closer accountability W1&W2

6. Pressures on aid budgets – system change

7. Four cuts to 2015 FinPlan

8. Optimistic of recovery in 2017

9. THANKS EVERYBODY FOR STAYING COURSE!

8. Wrap up

1. Dynamic Independent Steering Committee:

2. Planning shift RTB 1.0 to 2.0

3. Strengthened scientific collaboration: “RTB team”

4. Enhanced gender research

5. Dynamized RTB communication channels

6. Strong Pre-Proposal – well set to move forward

7. Outstanding external review

8. Diversifying funding